Football Guide: Positions, Rules and Health Benefits

NFL football positions carry specific responsibilities ranging from offensive line to special teams. Learn the official size of an NFL football and the health benefits of playing this high-impact sport.

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What Do You Have to Wear in Football?

Football is a fast-paced sport that is filled with incredible runs, passes and catches, as well as violent hits and dangerous tackles. Every play in a football game ends with a tackle and, in some cases, it takes a group of players to bring down a runner or a receiver.

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Percentage & Statistics for Football Players & Serious Injury

Football at the collegiate level produces the greatest amount of catastrophic injuries compared with any other sport, according to the Annual Survey of Catastrophic Football Injuries. The majority of catastrophic football injuries are associated with defensive players blocking and tackling.

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Adult Football Teams

While Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League have extensive minor-league systems, and even the National Basketball Association has adopted a developmental league, the National Football League has no such system to support its product.

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American Football and Helmet on the Field

How Much Do Football Pads Weigh?

To minimize the risk of injury, nearly all organized football leagues require players to wear specialized pads and equipment. The exact weight of football pads varies based on the age level and position of the player, but for the average player, the combined weight is around 20 pounds.

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Football in the Snow

What Do Football Players Rub on Their Skin During Cold Weather?

Football is a game that is often played in extreme weather. At the start of the year, players practice in intense heat and humidity that can be draining and dangerous. However, as the season progresses and the weather turns cold, players are at risk to skin exposure during frigid weather.

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Chicago Bears v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

What Is the Official Size of the NFL Football?

The National Football League – the NFL – is a league composed of the best football players in the world. Similar to other levels of football, the NFL uses an egg-shaped football, but the NFL has specific rules to the size, shape and materials used for the football.

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Three kids playing football

Percentage of Kids Who Are Injured in Football

At the beginning of each football season, players eagerly rush out onto the field while their parents worry that they may sustain a serious injury from the sport. The good news is that when injuries do occur, they are rarely severe and usually do not require a doctor's care.

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Four Men Watching a Football Game on Television

Why Is Football the Most Popular Sport in America?

Baseball may be as American as apple pie, but it's football that Americans list as their favorite sport. A 2010 poll by Harris Interactive showed that 35 percent of people who follow sports choose football as their favorite. Baseball is a distant second, with 16 percent listing it as their favorite sport.

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Why Turf Is Better Than Grass in Football

In its early years, athletes dreaded playing games on artificial turf. In many cases, the turf was nothing but plastic carpeting made to look like grass. In many cases, players suffered serious turf burns on their arms and other exposed areas of their body.

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African American man wearing football uniform

Healthy Foods for Football Players

Meeting your nutritional needs is an essential factor for successful performance in football. Due to the physical demands of the sport, in which a football player must play with short bursts of energy, you should eat a variety of carbohydrates and proteins to fuel your body.

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Why Do Football Players Wear Bicep Bands?

Players on NFL and college football teams wear bicep bands. Bicep bands range in color and size and can be worn on one or both arms. The bands are made from old socks, swatches of stretchy material or athletic tape. Nike and the NFL also have their own lines of logo-endorsed bicep bands.

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Coach with a soccer team

Requirements to Be a College Football Coach

College football is one of the most popular sports in America. Every Saturday, fans from across the country gather in front of their televisions to support their Alma mater or favorite team. Behind each and every team is a coaching staff.

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Football and helmet with jersey on locker room bench

How Do Football Players Recover After Games?

Football is an exhilarating sport for spectators and players alike. The physical nature of the game requires players to keep their bodies in top shape to avoid injuries. Even with extensive training and preparation, players are left physically exhausted at the end of a game.

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Football center ready to snap ball

Equipment Needed to Play Football

When playing football you must be properly and safely equipped. Football players are covered in modern day armor to ensure their safety while playing rough and competitive football. Players may wear other items on the field, depending on personal preferences and league rules, but some equipment is not optional.

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Face Off

Difference Between a Football Cleat & a Lacrosse Cleat

Lacrosse and football cleats serve the same basic purpose: to give the players extra traction on different types of surfaces, from natural grass to artificial turf. This helps with player mobility while helping protect them from injury.

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Line of Scrimmage

NFL Rules for Out of Bounds

A play that ends up out of bounds in the NFL can bring up tricky ramifications for the officiating crew. While the rules concerning out of bounds plays are similar to those in college and high school football, subtle differences exist as well.

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Teenage girl having belly pain and taking pills

Spleen Tear Symptoms

The spleen is an organ located in the left upper abdomen. It is highly vascular, meaning it holds a high volume of blood. A spleen injury may occur from blunt force to the abdomen, such as from playing sports or a motor vehicle accident, or as a result of abdominal surgery or infection.

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Huddle at the 20 Yard Line

How to Play Flag Football Defense

Playing defense in a flag football game can be challenging. The difficult part comes when a receiver has caught the ball in the open field. The rules of the game prevent you from bringing your opponent down to stop him. The only thing you can do is pull one of the two small flags that hang from his waistband.

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